It’s like the worst horror story you can imagine: the sort of modelling nightmare your parents envision when you’re scouted. It was announced that a British model was forcefully injected with ketamine, handcuffed, transported in […]

Reader’s Question: What Should My Daughter Wear for a Test Shoot?

My daughter has a test shoot next week, and they’ve said to bring four outfit changes. Any ideas on what kind of thing I should take? I value your advice. Thanks x’

So – four shoots to me means two different seasons and two different ‘vibes’. I’ve never child modelled, but the markets you’re going for will be totally commercial. Older new faces at grown up agencies will be aimed at editorial markets first, which is why they’re usually shivering, wearing nothing but a headdress, balanced on a rooftop in E16.

Outfit 3: You see kids in lots of Christmas shoots, so aim for that season. A winter coat, a woolen beret, tights and Mary Janes or little boots – just think ‘girl in the Secret Garden film’ (also my style icon).

Lastly I’d say go for the ‘Back to School’ kind of look. I realise that’s not going to fill your daughter with joy, but that’s such a huge market and the sort of job she’s going to be put forward to do. It doesn’t have to be a genuine school uniform, but an outfit with that sort of look.

I reckon make up and hair should be natural – a tiny amount of powder to reduce shine, and hair either down, in a pony tail or in plaits – nothing fancy, as if you look at kids in advertising campaigns, they’re styled very minimally.

The aim here isn’t to make your daughter look like a model, or like a more glamorous version of herself. It’s just to make her look very natural, relaxed and exactly as she would be booked for a commercial job. I’d recommend either very natural, neutral face or smiles – no one wants to see a kid pouting, or giving a supermodel ‘glare’!

Lastly, I really hope you’re not paying a lot of money for this. We models do occasionally pay for tests, but rarely more than £120. Any more than that and you’re probably being fleeced I’m afraid.